Difference between Deen Religion by Ali Bin Ali Alharb

Our Beacon Group · Post by **Our Beacon Group** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:32 pm

The Quranic System compared to religion or man-made systems
by Ali Bin Ali Alharbi (Al Madina)

A comparative study of religion or madhhab, and deen, Divine System, should help us understand the vital and fundamental characteristics of each and the differences between the two:

1. Madhhab is merely some sort of subjective experience and is concerned only with the so-called private relationship between God and man.
Din is an objective reality and a system of collective life.

2. Every follower of a madhhab is satisfied that he has established a communion with the Almighty, and the objective of each individual is his own salvation.
The aim of din on the other hand is the welfare and progress of all mankind, and the character and constitution of a society indicates whether or not it is founded upon the Divine Law.

3. Madhhab does not afford us any objective. criterion by which we could determine whether or not our actions are producing the desired results.
In a social order governed by din, the development of a collective and harmonious life correctly indicates whether or not the people are pursuing the right course.

4. Madhhab is hostile to scientific investigation and is an adversary of reason, so that it could flourish unhampered with the aid of a blind faith.
Din helps in the development of human reason and knowledge, allows full freedom to accept or reject on the basis of reason and arguments, and encourages investigation and discovery of all the natural phenomena to illumine the path of human life and its advancement in the light of the Permanent Values.

5. Madhhab follows the susceptibilities and prejudices of men and pampers them.
Din seeks to lead men to a path of life that is in harmony with the realities of life.

6. In every age, therefore, madhhab sets up new idols and mumbo-jumbos in order to keep the people's attention away from the real problems of life.
But din is rational and radical: it breaks all idols, old and new, and is never variable in its principles.

7. Madhhab induces a perpetual sense of fear in the minds of men and seeks to frighten them into conformity;
While din treats fear as a form of polytheism and seeks to make men courageous, daring and self-reliant.

8. Madhhab prompts men to bow before every seat of authority and prestige, religious as well as temporal.
Din encourages man to walk about with his head erect, and attain self-confidence.

9. Madhhab induces man to flee from struggle of life.
But din calls upon him to face the realities of life squarely, whatever the hazards.

10. Madhhab treats the world of matter with contempt and calls upon man to renounce it. It promises paradise only in the Hereafter as a reward for the renunciation of the material world.
Din, on the other hand, enjoins the conquest of matter and leads man to immeasurable heights of attainment. It exhorts him to seek well-being and happiness in this world as well as felicity in the life Hereafter.

11. Madhhab encourages belief in fatalism, and this tends to dissuade man from active life and self-development.
Din gives man power to challenge fate, and provides energy for a life of activity and self-development.

12. Madhhab seeks to comfort the weak, the helpless and the oppressed with the belief that the affairs of this world are governed by the Will of God and that its acceptance and resignation helps to endear them to God. This sort of teaching naturally tends to morbidity, and emboldens their religious leaders who profess to interpret the Will of God, so that they indulge in their misdeeds with perfect impunity and persuade the adherents to a complete and quiet submission.
Din, on the other hand, raises the banner of revolt against all forms of tyranny and exploitation.
It calls upon the weak and the oppressed to follow the Divine Laws and thereby seek to establish a social order in which all tyrants and oppressors will be forced to accept the dictates of right and justice. In this social order, there is no place for dictators, capitalists or priests. They are all enemies of din.

13. Madhhab enjoins religious meditation in the name of worship and thus induces self-deception.
Din exhorts men to assert themselves and struggle perpetually for the establishment of the Divine Social Order, and its betterment when attained. Worship in din really means obedience to the Laws of God.

14. Madhhab frowns and sneers at all things of art and beauty.
Din defies those who forbid the enjoyment of the good and beautiful things of life which God has created for the enjoyment of man.

15. Madhhab denounces everything new and declares all innovation as sin.
Din holds that the needs and demands of human life keep changing with the change in the conditions of life; change and innovation are, therefore, demanded by life itself. Only the Divine Laws are immutable.

It should now be easy for us to see the fundamental difference between din and madhhab. Islam means saying "Yes" to life; while the response of religion is "No"!
Thus Islam is an open challenge to religion as such.

2:155 (Adversity is a great barometer of the strength of personality.) Certainly, We will pass you through such tribulations as fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and person, and of the fruit of your labor, so that you may test your mettle. Nevertheless, give glad tidings to those who remain unwavering in their resolve.

Distinction between the Material concept of life and that of Islam is that, while in the former the life of a human being is circumscribed by and limited merely to manï¿½s physical existence in this world and is disintegrated and gets extinct with death, in the latter, the human body develops, flourishes, and eventually disintegrates under physical laws, but there is something else in man besides his body, that is, his Self or Personality, which is neither physical in its constitution nor is it subject to the physical laws as such. It is endowed to every human child in like measure at his but it is only in an undeveloped form.

To develop it to its full maturity and to give a perfect and balanced shape is the goal of all human exertions. Every act of his performed in full compliance with the Permanent Values contributes to its development, and whatever is done against these values retards this process and weakens the self. An act, it should be noted, includes the thought and intent as well. The Self or Personality, thus developed, easily sustains the shock of death and survives the disintegration and dissolution of the physical entity, and goes on developing further, passing through more evolutionary stages, which we may call the "Hereafter", or the "life after death". The idea that, not only the actual deeds of a human being but his thoughts and intentions as well act upon the human Personality, is what we call the "Law of Retribution" which is as inexorable and as immutable as the laws of nature.
Supervision of the police or directives from a court of law to persuade him to act in full consonance with the Permanent Values and lead a life in accordance with the principles emanating therefrom, for, such a man acts upon them of his own choice and accord, and scrupulously avoids other trends that go against them. Fully conscious as he is that such a course of conduct is conducive to his own good and welfare, he willingly and ardently desires to pursue it. It is only such people, therefore, as bring about and establish the Qurï¿½anic Social Order, believing, as they sincerely do, in the efficacy and well-being resulting from such an order of life; and it is they who are entrusted with the task of modeling the society according to that Order.

The Permanent Values have been referred to several in the Quran. Here we make a mention some of the more fundamental and basic ones, so as to demonstrate how individuals leading their lives in accordance therewith embellish and adorn not only their own character but of others as well, and how highly prosperous, peaceful and contented is that society in which these values operate consistently and predominantly. How implicit a trust with sentiments of well-wishing other individuals and communities that come into contact will repose in them, and how an era of peace and prosperity will be ushered in when these values become universally recognized and acted uponï¿½in fact the very life of Jannah on the earth. To usher in such in an era, in short, is the ultimate aim of Islam.

Now let us mention some of the more fundamental Permanent Values, summed up in brief needing little excuse for repetition.

1. Respect for humanity in general. The very fact that every human child at his birth is equally endowed with a Self or Personality, entitles every individual as a human entity to equal esteem and respect ; and no distinction whatsoever should, therefore, be allowed to the incidence of birth, family, tribe, race or community, nationality, religion or sex, for, says the Qur'an :
Verily We have honoured all children of Adam (equally) (17 : 70).

17:70 Now indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam (as a birth right, regardless of where the child is born). And provided them with transport on land and sea and given them decent things of life. And We have favored the humans far above a great many of Our creation.

2. The criterion of a high position in society. The intrinsic value of every individual human being is uniformly equal, but the criterion for determining the relative position and status of every individual rests on his own personal merits and character:
And for all there are ranks according to what they do (46 : 19),
and the principle underlying is this:
The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best in conduct
(49 : 13).

46:19 And for all there will be ranks according to what they did that He may
recompense their actions. And none shall be wronged.

49:13 O Mankind! Behold, We have created you male and female, and have
made you nations and tribes so that you might (affectionately) come to know
one another. Verily, the most honored among you, in the Sight of Allah, is the one who lives most upright. Behold, Allah is Knower, Aware. (ï¿½Min
zakarinwwa unthaï¿½ = Of a kind that is male, and of a kind that is female =
Male and female = Some of you are men and some of you are women. On
this note I find myself in agreement with M. Pickthall).

3. Unity in humanity. All human beings, according to the Qur'an, are the members of one brotherhood and branches of the same tree :
Mankind is one community (2 : 213).

2:213 Mankind were once one single community. (But Satan, their selfish desire, divided them. 2:36, 10:19.) So, Allah sent Prophets as heralds of good news and as Warners, and with them sent the Revelation as the Absolute Truth in order to decide among the people in their disputes. But again, out of mutual rivalry, they divided among themselves although all evidence of the Right had come to them! Hence, Allah shows the Lighted Road, according to His Laws, to all those who would acknowledge the Truth, to resolve their disputes. Allah guides to the Straight Path of real success him who wills to be guided.

Racial distinction or dividing mankind into different compartments of communities and nations by drawing lines on the globe is antagonistic to the very idea of humanity as a single entity, and is against the intents and purpose of nature. There is only one criterion for a division and no otherï¿½that those who believe in the Permanent Values are members of one community, and those who care not for them and lead their lives against them, go to the other division of a different community, as is said in the Qur'an:
He it is Who created you (as human beings) but one of you rejects (the Permanent Values) and another believes (in them, so this is the only line of demarcation) (64 : 2).

64:2 He it is Who created you (and endowed you with free will). Hence, one of you is a denier of the Truth and one of you chooses to be graced with belief. And Allah is Seer of all you do.

4. Human Personality implies responsibility. It means to say that every human being will be held responsible for his own actions, rewards as well as retribution, which none else will share. Says the Qur'an :
Whoever commits a crime commits it against his own self (65 : 1 )

65:1....These are, then, the limits imposed by Allah. And whoever crosses Allah's limits, he verily hurts his own ï¿½Selfï¿½....

and no other will be held responsible for it :
No bearer of a burden bears another's burden (53 : 38).

53:38 - i That no laden one shall bear the load of another.

This makes it quite clear that the notions of "original sin", or "intercession", or "penance" have no room whatsoever in Islam. That one should be made responsible for one's own deeds is, therefore, a Permanent Value according to the Qurï¿½an.

5. Freedom. According to the Qur'an, every human being is born free, and, therefore, should ever remain free; and freedom means that none, whosoever he may be, can extort obedience from another human being. In the Islamic Society, only the Qurï¿½anic laws shall be obeyed. This is synonymous with the obedience of God, for very plainly asserts the Qur'an :
It is not right of any man that God should give him the Book and authority and (even) Nubuwwah and he should say to men "obey me instead of Allah" (3 : 78-79).

3:78 And, behold! Among them is a group who distorts the Scripture, to make you think that what they quote is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they assert that it is from Allah, when it is not from Allah. Thus, they tell lies concerning Allah, and they are well aware of it.

3:79 Never would a human being, whom Allah has blessed with the Scripture, Wisdom and Prophethood, thereafter say to people, ï¿½Be servants of me instead of Allah.ï¿½ Rather, he would say, ï¿½Become true devotees of the Lord since you learn and teach the Book and study it as it should be studied.ï¿½

In fact, the Islamic Society is the agency for the execution of the Qur'anic laws; and this constitutes the main criterion to distinguish between the Muslim and non-Muslim creed:
And whoever judges not by what Allah has revealed, those are the unbelievers (5 : 44).

5:44 We did send down the Torah containing guidance and a light. By it the Prophets who always sincerely submitted to Allah, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests judged according to Allahï¿½s Scripture as they were commanded to observe. For to them was entrusted the protection of Allahï¿½s Book, and they were witnesses to it. So, fear not people, but fear Me and do not trade away My Revelations for petty gains. Whoever does not judge and rule according to what Allah has Revealed, such are the disbelievers.

These provisions apply equally to all no matter what his position. Not to speak of others, even the Rasul of God was directed to proclaim
I follow not but what is revealed to me. Indeed I fear, if I disobeyed my Rabb, the chastisement of a grievous day (10 : 15).

10:15 When Our Messages are conveyed to them in all clarity, those who hope not that they are destined to meet with Us (want to strike a deal with the Messenger). They say, ï¿½Bring us a Qurï¿½an other than this or make some changes in it.ï¿½ Say (O Prophet), "It is not conceivable that I would alter it myself. I only follow what is revealed to me. I cannot disobey my Lord, for I fear the retribution of a Mighty Day."

It may be mentioned that what is worship in religion, is obedience to the laws of God in din.

6. Freedom of willï¿½no compulsion. The responsibility for the act of a human being is determined by his own volition and intent, so much so, that if one is forced to believe something or is prevailed upon with force and compulsion against his will to act in a particular manner, he would not be held responsible for such belief or action, for, Iman is the other name for full conviction. Says the Qur'an :
There is no compulsion in din (2 : 256),

2:256 (Although this Message has been sent down by the Almighty), there is absolutely no compulsion or coercion in the Prescribed Way of Life. (This Rule shall have no exception because Right has been made distinct from Wrong 3:4). Whoever rejects false gods (such as the priesthood), and attains conviction in Allah, has grasped the Unbreakable Support. (This assurance comes from) Allah, the Hearer the Knower. (18:29, 31:22)

and in another place :
And say : The truth is from your Rabb, so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases reject (18 : 29).

18:29 Proclaim, "This is the Truth from your Lord. Whoever accepts it, let him accept it, and whoever rejects it, let him reject it.ï¿½ Verily, for all those who wrong their own ï¿½Selfï¿½ We have readied billowing folds of fire to surround them. When they beg for water, they will be given their burning hot deeds that backfire on their faces, a drink of distress they gave others. (9:34-35). How dreadful a drink, and how terrible a resting place!

Physical compulsion and mental coercion apart, anything agreed to or followed traditionally or conventionally and not after due exercise of reason and intellect cannot be termed as Iman. Accepting anything traditionally is, according to Qur'an, the way of un-believers :

2:170 And when it is said unto them, "Follow that which Allah has revealed", they say, "Nay, we follow that wherein we found our ancestors.ï¿½ "What! Even though their ancestors (and ï¿½Imamsï¿½) were lacking in understanding and were not rightly guided?ï¿½

The believers, on the other hand, are those Who, when (even) the messages of their Rabb are presented to them, they fall not thereat deaf and blind (25 : 73).

25:73 ï¿½ And who, whenever they are reminded of even the Revelations of their Lord, do not fall at them deaf and blind (with deaf and blind acceptance).

7. Tolerance. Islam not only tolerates followers of other religions but also bestows upon them all the rights of humanity, and solemnly undertakes to protect and guard their places of worship. Says the Qur'an:

22:40 Those who have been evicted from their homes unjustly, for no reason other than saying, "Our Lord is Allah!" For, if Allah had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, monasteries, and churches, and synagogues, and masjids, where the Name of Allah is oft mentioned, would surely have been destroyed. And Allah will certainly help those who help Him. For, Allah is Mighty, Powerful.

8. Justice. Justice is one of the fundamental Permanent Values (16 : 90), and no distinction is allowed in this respect between friend and foe, for, says the Qurï¿½an
And let not the hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just : that is nearer to observance of duty (5 : 8).
As regards the courts of justice, we have been very clearly guided by the Qur'an
(1) Confound not truth with falsehood (2 : 42).
(2) Nor knowingly conceal the truth (2 : 42).
(3) Hide not testimony (2 : 283).
(4) Evidence must be given truthfully (4 : 135).
(5) And be ye not an advocate for the fraudulent (4 : 105).
(6) And never be a supporter of the guilty (28 : 17).
(7) Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) kindred, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man for, Allah is nearer unto both (than you are). So follow not passions lest ye lapse (from truth) and if ye lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever informed of what ye do (4 : 135).

Crimes, according to the Qurï¿½an, are not only those that are actually and physically committed; it considers even the mere thought of a breach of the Permanent Values as an offence. No doubt, such offences do not fall within the jurisdiction of a court of law, nevertheless they are offences in the eye of the Divine Law of Retribution, and adversely affect the personality of the perpetrators, as has been said in the Qur'an:
He knoweth the traitors of the eyes and that which the bosoms hide
(40 : 19).

40:19 He knows the treachery of the eyes, and all that the hearts would conceal. (Treachery of the eyes = See but not observe. Reporting hearsay as eyewitness. Failing to lower the gaze. Not using senses to full potential. Failing to learn from daily observation. Not using vision to develop the Vision.)

9. Subsistence. According to the Qur'an, it is incumbent upon the Islamic society to provide for the basic necessities of each and all the members comprising it, and make suitable provisions for the development of their human potentialities. Thereafter, it should extend the same facilities to other human beings and thus make the Order of Rububiyyah universal. A society that fails in this responsibility does not deserve to be called Islamic, for, the Islamic society that is established in the name of God is bound to proclaim:
We will provide for you and your children (6 : 152).

6:152. Allah Commands you further: -Approach not the wealth of the orphan except for their own benefit until they come of age with full maturity of body and mind. -Give full weight and full measure in all your dealings. Uphold justice in all aspects of your life. Our Commands are meant to widen your human potential. We do not assign any ï¿½Selfï¿½ responsibility beyond its means. -And when you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a relative. -Fulfill your Covenant with Allah, the unwavering allegiance to the Divine System (1:4-5, 9:111). This He Commands for you to bear in mind.

It is paramountly clear that no society could fully discharge this responsibility unless and until it has all the means of production under its control and the necessary resources at its disposal. It is solely for this reason that means of production cannot be owned privately in Islam, nor could the produce of such means, or, wealth, could form a private board (9 : 34-35).

9:34 O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! A great many religious leaders, rabbis, priests, monks, mullahs, yogis, and mystics devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and debar them from the Path of Allah. All those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the Cause of Allah, to them give tidings (O Prophet) of a painful doom.
9:35 On the Day when it will all be heated in the fire of Hell and their foreheads, flanks and backs will be branded with it. ï¿½Here is what you hoarded for yourselves, now taste what you had hoarded.ï¿½

For the same reason the principle underlying the growth and development of human personality is expressed thus: that an individual should work hard and earn and produce as much as possible, keep that is basically and essentially necessary for his own upkeep and of those for whom he is personally responsible, and give away the rest for meting out the necessities of others in need, as is ordained in the Qur'an:

2:219 [Certain things that hinder humans from attaining the aforementioned Noble Objective are now mentioned.] They ask you (O Messenger), concerning alcohol, intoxicants, games of chance, and gambling and money earned without labor. Say, ï¿½There is great detriment in these things as well as some benefits for mankind. But the detriment of them is much greater than the benefit of them. They drag down the individual and collective social potential.ï¿½ And they ask you what they should give. Say, "All that is surplus." Thus Allah makes His Messages plain for you, that you may reflect -

76:9 (They do all this selflessly) saying, "We provide for you for the sake of Allah alone. We want no return from you, not even a word of thanks.

10. Sex. Chastity, according to Qurï¿½an, is one of the Permanent Values and its breach a grave offence (24-3). It demands its observance from men and women equally (24: 30-31), and deems marriage as a free contract for leading a life of companionship and mutual cooperation in which both the parties stand on the same level and should be treated uniformly, for the Qur'an makes no distinction between man and woman on the ground of sex. Both, as human beings, are like each other and equal in all respects:
He it is Who has brought you (mankind) into being from one single life-cell (6 : 99).

11. Aesthetic taste. There is a basic difference between an animal and a human being, and that is that while the needs of an animal are confined to the mere satisfaction of physical wants, the requirements of man go beyond that. He is also endowed with the aesthetic sense, a liking, a taste for the appreciation of beauty. The Qur'an respects this leaning and
tendency towards fine arts in the human species and considers it as a necessary element in the growth and development of his personality. It says:

7:32 Say, "Who has forbidden the beauty and nice things Allah has brought forth for His servants, and the pure clean things of your choice?ï¿½ Say, ï¿½Such things are for those in this world who practically believe in the Divine Laws. And on the Day of Resurrection they will be exclusively for those who attained Conviction.ï¿½ We thus explain Our Laws for those who make good use of what they learn".

Thus it gives full encouragement to the appreciation of beauty in its various phases of arts as well as objects, with the only proviso that the limits laid down in the Qurï¿½an are not transgressed.

12. Forces of Nature. You come across at several places in the Qur'an with verses like this :
And He has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth,, all from Himself (45 : 13).
That is why Islam demands from us to subdue and harness the forces of nature with the sole object of utilizing them in consonance with the Permanent Values for the benefit of the entire humanity, and never for destructive purposes, for, the basic principle underlying this is :
Only that survives in the earth which is beneficial for entire mankind (13 : 17).

13:17 He sends down water from the height causing the riverbeds to flow according to their measure, and the flood bears on its surface swelling foam. And, when they use fire to refine metals for their jewelry or equipment, foam is produced like it. In this way Allah is citing for you the example of the Truth and the Falsehood. For, as far as the foam is concerned, it passes away as scum upon the banks. While that which is of benefit to mankind, abides on earth. (The real existence on earth is of the person or the system that benefits humanity). This is how Allah uses analogies for you to understand.

We have narrated above some of the basic values conveying the fundamental importance in human activity which have not only to be meticulously observed but to be carefully safeguarded by the Islamic Society against their breach and violation.

The Qur'an does not ignore or neglect, rather it lays a great emphasis on meting out the demands of man's physical existence and the satisfaction of his requirements for his ease and comforts, of course, in close observance of the Permanent Values. If the needs of his physical life and other requirements are both satisfied in harmony and accord with the Permanent Values, no difficulty or a problem as such arises. When there is a tie or an apprehension of a clash between the two, the Islamic view of life will then, as a matter of course, give preference to the maintenance of and compliance with the Permanent Values, for therein lies the loftiness of the human character.
This way of life greatly contributes to the development and well-being of the human self. In the Material concept of life on the other hand, the be all and end all of the entire human effort and activity is merely the satisfaction of the physical wants in luxury and plentitude without the least idea of the Permanent Values playing any role at all. This attitude is abhorrent to Islam. Far from agreeing to accept it, Islam will, in no circumstances, even compromise with the Material concept. Further, the otherworldly view of religion, preaching contempt of the worldly life and its enjoyment and ignoring the physical wants, is equally unacceptable and hateful in its eyes.

Ali Bin Ali Alharbi (Al Madina)